Connecting to Collections Care

Hello Diana,
We are looking into your question and will get back to you as soon as we have some information.

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Laura Aust
Paper Conservator
Pelham NY
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Hello Diana,

I use Catharine Hawk's method.  I have had success using the standard colorimetric quick arsenic test kits that are developed for water and soil testing when needing to qualify the presence of arsenic on ethnographic collections.  This test isn't appropriate for quantitative measurements.  Perhaps it can be adapted to paper.  

• A sample is taken using a cotton swab lightly dampened with deionized water rolling it along the surface. 
• Cut the tips off the swabs and place into individual vials (I purchase the 5 dram polystyrene disposable vials with caps)
• Add a few drops of 1N potassium hydroxide (purchased separately) to dissolve the material picked up by the swab.
• Add a small amount of zinc dust (provided in test kit) to each vial.
• Add 2-3 drops HCl (from kit) and immediate close the cap with the test strip dipping into the vial.  The test strip should not touch the swab.  You should observe effervescing. 
• Monitor the test strip for color change. 
• Be sure to use a negative control during each test session. 

Be sure to perform the test in a fume hood or well ventilated area as the reaction produces arsenic gas in positive samples.  Limit the test batch to 10 samples at a time.

I hope this is helpful.

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Nichole Doub
Head Conservator
Maryland Archaeological Conservation Laboratory
Saint Leonard MD
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I often use the Quantofix Arsen test kit; it is qualitative, but the color strips do give quantitative measurements.
I collect a sample with a damp cotton swab, suspend in the requisite amount of water, and use the chemicals provided in the kit.
The test is similar to the one Cathy Hawks uses (which is based on a spot test from Feigl, by the way) - zinc dust and sulfamic acid...caution, it produces arsine gas and must be performed in a well ventilated area!

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Lisa Goldberg
Conservator
Corning NY
(607) 937-3394
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Original Message:
Sent: 07-26-2022 15:49
From: Nichole Doub
Subject: Arsenic tests for paper?

Hello Diana,

I use Catharine Hawk's method.  I have had success using the standard colorimetric quick arsenic test kits that are developed for water and soil testing when needing to qualify the presence of arsenic on ethnographic collections.  This test isn't appropriate for quantitative measurements.  Perhaps it can be adapted to paper.

• A sample is taken using a cotton swab lightly dampened with deionized water rolling it along the surface. 
• Cut the tips off the swabs and place into individual vials (I purchase the 5 dram polystyrene disposable vials with caps)
• Add a few drops of 1N potassium hydroxide (purchased separately) to dissolve the material picked up by the swab.
• Add a small amount of zinc dust (provided in test kit) to each vial.
• Add 2-3 drops HCl (from kit) and immediate close the cap with the test strip dipping into the vial.  The test strip should not touch the swab.  You should observe effervescing. 
• Monitor the test strip for color change. 
• Be sure to use a negative control during each test session. 

Be sure to perform the test in a fume hood or well ventilated area as the reaction produces arsenic gas in positive samples.  Limit the test batch to 10 samples at a time.

I hope this is helpful.

------------------------------
Nichole Doub
Head Conservator
Maryland Archaeological Conservation Laboratory
Saint Leonard MD
------------------------------

Hi Diana,

As you have already noted, most of the identification methods use analytical equipment, which may be hard to access, or microchemical tests, which create lots of toxic water waste. However, polarized light microscopy can also be used to confirm pigment samples. This is a link to the identification section of the Winterthur Museum Wiki on Arsenic pigments in book materials: http://wiki.winterthur.org/wiki/Poison_Book_Project#:~:text=Polarized%20Light%20Microscopy,winterthur%5Bdot%5Dorg. It provides their contact info to request a copy of their sample-prep and analysis document. 

Hope this helps a little, and good luck!

Karissa 

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Karissa Muratore
Conservation Resident
Northwestern University Library
Evanston IL
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Hi Diana-

We recently received some updated information regarding this post from a few months ago. See below and hope it helps: 



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--------------------------------------
Robin Bauer Kilgo (she/her/hers)
Connecting to Collections Care Coordinator, FAIC
c2cc@culturalheritage.org
Contract Registrar/Consultant
rbkilgo@gmail.com
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 9/22/2022 8:01:00 AM
From: Robin Bauer Kilgo
Subject: RE: Arsenic tests for paper?

Hi Diana-

We recently received some updated information regarding this post from a few months ago. See below and hope it helps: 

She is absolutely right that the vast majority of self-testing kits to detect arsenic are for testing water. She may also be familiar with the Poison Book Project, where most of the information on this topic is consolidated. If not, it's a fantastic resource! http://wiki.winterthur.org/wiki/Poison_Book_Project

 

The wiki created for that project does mention some of the different ways conservators performed the tests, including some reference to test kits, but also clearly state:

"Arsenic spot tests should be performed only by persons trained in chemical safety, wearing appropriate PPE, under a certified chemical fume hood, with access to safe disposal for hazardous waste according to state law. Arsenic test kits should under no circumstances be used in the home or general library environment."

 

All that is to say – my top advice would be for Diane to get in touch with the folks at the PBP. Melissa Tedone at Winterthur would most likely be glad to field her questions, or direct her to someone else involved who can.

 

Conservators in her area might be able to help as well. She can search for folks herself using whatever parameters she'd like to using the American Institute for Conservation's Find a Conservator database: https://www.culturalheritage.org/about-conservation/find-a-conservator

Or she could reach out to one of the conservators at the University of Kansas, which looks to be relatively close to Ottawa. Whitney Baker (wbaker@ku.edu) is their Head of Conservation Services.

Best,

Dyani

 

 

Dyani Feige

Director of Preservation Services

Pronouns: she, her, hers

 

CONSERVATION CENTER

FOR ART & HISTORIC ARTIFACTS

 

t 215.545.0613 ext. 309

f 215.735.9313

 

264 S. 23^rd Street

Philadelphia, PA 19103

 

CCAHA.ORG

------------------------------
--------------------------------------
Robin Bauer Kilgo (she/her/hers)
Connecting to Collections Care Coordinator, FAIC
c2cc@culturalheritage.org
Contract Registrar/Consultant
rbkilgo@gmail.com
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 9/23/2022 7:56:00 AM
From: Rebecca Elder
Subject: RE: Arsenic tests for paper?

Nicole Grabow at the Midwest Art Conservation Center will do reasonably priced swab arsenic testing. You swab the surface of what you're interested in, and mail them off, and she contacts you with results.

 

That's often my recommendation for arsenic testing with my clients.

 

Rebecca

 

 

 

 

Rebecca Elder

www.elderpreservation.com

Rebecca@elderpreservation.com

512-699-3494

Pronouns: she/her/hers

 

 

Original Message:
Sent: 9/22/2022 8:01:00 AM
From: Robin Bauer Kilgo
Subject: RE: Arsenic tests for paper?

Hi Diana-

We recently received some updated information regarding this post from a few months ago. See below and hope it helps: 

She is absolutely right that the vast majority of self-testing kits to detect arsenic are for testing water. She may also be familiar with the Poison Book Project, where most of the information on this topic is consolidated. If not, it's a fantastic resource! http://wiki.winterthur.org/wiki/Poison_Book_Project

 

The wiki created for that project does mention some of the different ways conservators performed the tests, including some reference to test kits, but also clearly state:

"Arsenic spot tests should be performed only by persons trained in chemical safety, wearing appropriate PPE, under a certified chemical fume hood, with access to safe disposal for hazardous waste according to state law. Arsenic test kits should under no circumstances be used in the home or general library environment."

 

All that is to say – my top advice would be for Diane to get in touch with the folks at the PBP. Melissa Tedone at Winterthur would most likely be glad to field her questions, or direct her to someone else involved who can.

 

Conservators in her area might be able to help as well. She can search for folks herself using whatever parameters she'd like to using the American Institute for Conservation's Find a Conservator database: https://www.culturalheritage.org/about-conservation/find-a-conservator

Or she could reach out to one of the conservators at the University of Kansas, which looks to be relatively close to Ottawa. Whitney Baker (wbaker@ku.edu) is their Head of Conservation Services.

Best,

Dyani

 

 

Dyani Feige

Director of Preservation Services

Pronouns: she, her, hers

 

CONSERVATION CENTER

FOR ART & HISTORIC ARTIFACTS

 

t 215.545.0613 ext. 309

f 215.735.9313

 

264 S. 23^rd Street

Philadelphia, PA 19103

 

CCAHA.ORG

------------------------------
--------------------------------------
Robin Bauer Kilgo (she/her/hers)
Connecting to Collections Care Coordinator, FAIC
c2cc@culturalheritage.org
Contract Registrar/Consultant
rbkilgo@gmail.com
------------------------------